Shmkabul

Q: how do I stop unwanted connections to my computer?  I have a firewall, 2 actually, but that doesn't stop my 13 year old from taking over my computer, locking it and generally being a pest.

My 13 year old frequently takes over my computer remotely.  I have both the stock firewall and CyberGuard, yet he can take it over, lock it, and generally be a pest anytime.  I am tired of being held hostage by a 13 year old cyber-terrorist!  Please help!  I am running the latest system, El cap 10.11.04  thank you!

MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012), OS X Mavericks (10.9), null

Posted on Apr 6, 2016 8:28 AM

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Q: how do I stop unwanted connections to my computer?  I have a firewall, 2 actually, but that doesn't stop my 13 year old from ... more

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  • by Shmkabul,

    Shmkabul Shmkabul Apr 6, 2016 11:57 AM in response to Duane
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Notebooks
    Apr 6, 2016 11:57 AM in response to Duane

    Not using back to my Mac. I have checked all the obvious stuff.  I know he enters the router then types something. Next thing I know it shuts down and when I reopen it it is password protected. A 4 digit password a

    D a non Mac screen

     

    Sent from my iPhone

  • by Duane,

    Duane Duane Apr 6, 2016 11:58 AM in response to Shmkabul
    Level 10 (124,018 points)
    Apr 6, 2016 11:58 AM in response to Shmkabul

    Can you provide a screenshot?

     

    Is he just shutting down the router?

  • by Shmkabul,

    Shmkabul Shmkabul Apr 6, 2016 12:04 PM in response to Duane
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Notebooks
    Apr 6, 2016 12:04 PM in response to Duane

    I Couldn't take a screen shot as when he does it the mac just shuts down. He says it's a script that he wrote and I am not

    familiar with working with scripts. I have searched for malware and programs I don't know but find nothing. No sharing is turned on. He can also make find my iPhone ping. Thanks for all the ideas!  I know there is an easy way, take away his machine but that is admitting defeat!  I would like to outsmart him at this if possible!

  • by Duane,

    Duane Duane Apr 6, 2016 12:10 PM in response to Shmkabul
    Level 10 (124,018 points)
    Apr 6, 2016 12:10 PM in response to Shmkabul

    So you don't really care about stopping it. You only care about besting him?

     

    More than likely he knows the password on your Mac. Then he just logs in, launches the script, logs out, and waits for you to come by. He tells you a story to make it appear more mysterious and send you in circles.

     

    Have you changed the login password on your Mac?

  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Apr 6, 2016 12:13 PM in response to Shmkabul
    Level 9 (60,951 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 6, 2016 12:13 PM in response to Shmkabul

    at age 13, your teen is only five years away from becoming an adult, and legally able to head out on his own.

     

    Perhaps it is time to change the game. Stop the skirmishes and have the "personal responsibility" and "Growing Trust is required for additional privileges" discussion with him, and end this non-productive nonsense.

     

    Then book a visit to Carnegie-Mellon in Pittsburgh.

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Apr 6, 2016 12:27 PM in response to Shmkabul
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Apr 6, 2016 12:27 PM in response to Shmkabul

    It sounds very much like he is using Icloud for find my mac or find my Iphone. You can turn this off.  http://www.engadget.com/2014/05/27/ransomware-worries-turn-off-find-my-mac-find- my-iphon   https://support.apple.com/kb/PH2613?locale=en_US

  • by steve359,Helpful

    steve359 steve359 Apr 6, 2016 5:38 PM in response to Shmkabul
    Level 6 (14,032 points)
    Apr 6, 2016 5:38 PM in response to Shmkabul

    People who do not learn that someone else is in charge tend to have issues ... legal or employment come to mind.  Do it once and it shows basic skills that can be used later, especially in firms that try to predict cyber-attacks.  Do it just because you are bored is an attitude that can cause too many issues.

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Apr 6, 2016 12:53 PM in response to Shmkabul
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Apr 6, 2016 12:53 PM in response to Shmkabul

    It is not admitting defeat to take away things, since this is not a privilege,  but a right that must be earned.  They are not the boss, you are. Sometimes it becomes necessary to apply knowledge to the seat of their learning. Giving compensation for wrongdoing never works. And you can lose respect.

  • by Shmkabul,

    Shmkabul Shmkabul Apr 6, 2016 5:41 PM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Notebooks
    Apr 6, 2016 5:41 PM in response to my ginger

    no question he has been "spoke to" about how a computer is a privilege, and invading someone else privacy is not acceptable behavior.  this is not a huge deal as it is being done in fun.  Again, my interest is in figuring out how he did it without having to push him to tell me.  I'm sure he will, but just that action puts me at a disadvantage.  I feel I need to "figure it out" and find a way to stop him, even though he now understands if he does it again, he will have a significant "time out" from the computer.  But, this is pretty cool, whatever he did, and I'd like to figure out how he did it.  He is VERY smart...if he can channel his smarts for good, he will go far

  • by Shmkabul,

    Shmkabul Shmkabul Apr 6, 2016 5:44 PM in response to Duane
    Level 1 (8 points)
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    Apr 6, 2016 5:44 PM in response to Duane

    no, but we are mixing issues.  the parenting issue is being taken care of.  I want to figure out how he did it/does it rather than have him tell me.  He is not being malicious, to him its "fun"...I am discussing the issue with him from the stand-point of right and wrong.  from the techie in me, I want to know how he did it, then take tech steps to show I am on his level with this stuff...

  • by Duane,

    Duane Duane Apr 6, 2016 6:19 PM in response to Shmkabul
    Level 10 (124,018 points)
    Apr 6, 2016 6:19 PM in response to Shmkabul

    You say here "this is not a huge deal as it is being done in fun" but in your original post you stated "I am tired of being held hostage by a 13 year old cyber-terrorist!  Please help!"

     

    I think that if your son doesn't feel guilty about this and willing to share how he did it then he has not learned that this behavior is not tolerated. You may want to get used to being blackmailed by him. Next thing may be that your car won't start because your son has done something to disable the car. He will only "fix" the car if you allow him to drive it and stay out late.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 6, 2016 6:23 PM in response to Shmkabul
    Level 9 (50,486 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 6, 2016 6:23 PM in response to Shmkabul

    How far

     

    SingSing far

  • by Shmkabul,

    Shmkabul Shmkabul Apr 6, 2016 7:22 PM in response to Duane
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Notebooks
    Apr 6, 2016 7:22 PM in response to Duane

    again, a helpful parenting answer, and then you.  I am addressing this issue.  He will tell me, but I want to show my abilities, and show him I figured out out how he did it, and show him I know, rather than ask him for his technique.  I get the other issues, have 3 other older kids...in this case, I am trying to find out how this one does this, and show him I'm not as stupid as I loo.  If you have any tech ideas please pass them on.  I get the parenting issue!

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Apr 6, 2016 9:46 PM in response to Shmkabul
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Apr 6, 2016 9:46 PM in response to Shmkabul

    Here is a list of the startup screens for mac's. The one at the very bottom is what sounds like you are describing.  https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204156  If this is so then he is locking your computer and causing the phone to sound using Find My Mac. He can, on his computer, do this if he has access to your ICloud account.  I know of no way to write script in the router settings. I think he's pulling you leg.  He can if he knows you computers ip address block wifi access to it.

  • by coolguy 73,

    coolguy 73 coolguy 73 Apr 6, 2016 10:31 PM in response to Shmkabul
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 6, 2016 10:31 PM in response to Shmkabul

    does it look like this?

    Pin Lock.png

    next time you have access to it, back it up and shut down. Try 1234 (123456 works to reset with a 6-digit) an if it reboots to recovery mode reinstall os x. when asked to enter your iCloud password don't enter it. this will prevent your child from reactivating the lock. then change your apple id password (i forgot my password) to something else and don't tell your child. you can then log in without your son meddling with the iCloud settings.

     

    there is a reason why I don't use find my mac. my mac is always at home locked with a password with characters that most people don't even know of. I have a password to get into recovery mode ( you should do that to)  so that people can't erase my mac. I don't have firewall so if anyone guesses my password and changes it I can log in as the root user and change it back.

     

    then open terminal and type this:

    sudo write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow LoginwindowText "Haha son, jokes on you now"

     

    next time he tries to access your account, he will read that in wonder then next time he tries to lock your mac he will realise

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